The present invention is directed to a safety mechanism for a hoist having a responsive lowering speed limit which is activated in case overly elevated lowering speeds are reached. If the maximum predetermined lowering limit is exceeded, a latch locks into a stopping point of a sprocket which, itself, rotates along with the cable drum of the hoist, thereby stopping the lowering operation of the hoist.
A safety mechanism is shown in German reference 1,985,283 which, after being activated, causes the load to be lowered at moderate speed. The device shown therein has the cable glide around the cable disk while braking. This arrangement has the disadvantage that the lowering speed, depending on the load and on the surface condition of the cable, is not able to be regulated with any degree of precision. Furthermore, the load is lowered, albeit at a slower speed, immediately subsequent to the activation of the safety mechanism, i.e., even when an immediate lowering is not desirable and when persons may be endangered thereby.